Day 7: When it takes bravery to dream.

I am a dreamer. Ideas and possibility paint bright colors across the canvas of my heart, propelling me forward, hope a bounce in my step. 

I always thought no one could handle my dreaming. Afraid of being misunderstood or feeling inadequate has led me to make my dreams more compact, more realistic, smaller. 

I met him on a cold winter night, hair in a messy ponytail, old sweatshirt on. Uninterested in impressing, I let the uninhibited self, the dreaming self show. I was met with intrigue. I was met with encouragement. I was met with empowering, bold love. I married a man who dreamed as big as me. 

I sat down with her and spilled all of my musings. Heart on the table, imagination working its magic. I was met with a "you can do that. I believe in you". I was met with a deep commitment to investment in the things that moved me. Those dreams were a flame in me that were fanned and built up to be the fire that warmed the rest of life. She is still the one who fans the flame most often. My mom spoke purpose. My mom brings out the dreamer in me. 

Those dreams still grow, begging to be pursued. 

One of those big dreams involves travel. The globe calls to us- to come explore and minister. My strong husband with big dreams picks up the paintbrush of imagination, and we create, side by side; possibility and divine creativity spreading out before our eyes. We research, we pray, we seek and knock. 

But what happens when epidemics like ebola spread? What happens when daily news brings tidings of gloom and warfare? These come and extinguish the warmth of our dreams. They discourage and tell us that maybe we'd be better off just staying where we're at. I put our paintbrushes away, shaking my head and stuffing our ideas back into the compact box of realism. 

I recognize this as fear. Fear tells you to look at the tumultuous waves around your feet when you're called to walk toward Jesus. Fear often disguises itself as practicality. Fear binds up and wants you stuck. Fear extinguishes dreaming. 

Sometimes it takes bravery to dream. Unrealistic? Perhaps. Unsafe? Probably. But I choose the fulfilled, the risky, the courageous life. There is no safer place than right where God wills me- into the technicolor of imagination and faith. 

It takes bravery to dream.